Scotia’s LaFrate in finals on `ANTM’

Scotia model Laura LaFrate, who has wowed judges on the CW reality show “America’s Next Top Model” with both her outgoing personality and modeling skills, has made the finals after Wednesday’s episode.

She will face the Brit (and friend) Sophie. The show taped last fall.

LaFrate, who in recent weeks has been dominating the competition, entered Wednesday night as one of only three competitors left, along with Brits Annaliese and Sophie. (The season, subtitled “British Invasion,” began as teams of Americans vs. models from the United Kingdom.)

But the show heavily foreshadowed her potential ouster Wednesday.

“I’m not feeling too confident,” she said at one point.

Although “ANTM” is heavily edited, it had captured LaFrate’s free-spirit nature, humor, and openess about sexuality. But Wednesday’s episode required the 20-year-old to go against her strengths: Do runway auditions, and model in a frilly outfit that mitigated her gonzo persona and natural sexuality.

“I was freaking out,” she said on the show. “What am I going to do?”

Yet LaFrate made the finals. Next week’s episode will be new, but a recap of the current season, dubbed Cycle 18. The season finale that will crown a winner will air on May 30.

Of note: A network promo indicates LaFrate has some sort of panic attack in the finale that requires medical attention.

All three models marveled at making it this far through the competition.

“I’m like, `Holy crap, Laura, good for you,’” she said on the show. “The American dream is true: You can anything if you put your mind to it.”

I’m very excited to have someone from the 518 represented on this show!! As a fan on the show itself, I’m “Team Laura” all the way!!! Laura, if you’re reading this, I wish you the best of luck in the final round. As the judges on the show would say: You better WERK!!!!